One year ago, the Stony Brook University football squad was in dire straights after losing its top two running backs to season-ending injuries. The loss of two potent offensive weapons could have sounded the death knell for the Seawolves, if not for Donnie Liotine ’13.

The former Bear had a breakout season, twice earning the CAA Football Rookie of the Week Award after performances of 204 yards vs. Howard and 203 yards vs. Albany. He became the Seawolves’ leading rusher on the season with 157 carries, 708 yards, and five touchdowns. Liotine closed out 2015 with three straight 100-plus yard games that helped SBU to three consecutive wins. At the close of the season he was named the Seawolves’ Offensive Rookie of the Year.

This season, Liotine and fellow back Stacey Bedell look to be the power behind Stony Brook’s offense. Here is the running back season preview from Stony Brook’s press release this afternoon:

The Stony Brook football running backs will feature the top two returning rushers from 2015, including junior captain Stacey Bedell (Mastic Beach, NY) and junior Donald Liotine (Medford, NY).

Bedell missed the final seven games of 2015 with an injury after he averaged 117.0 yards per game in the first three outings to go with four touchdowns. Liotine totaled 708 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns, including a pair of 200-plus yard games in the stretch run of 2015.

Running backs coach Omar King, who enters his third season with the Seawolves, and second at the helm of the RBs, has depth at the position this season.

In addition to Bedell and Liotine, King will have the services of Boston College transfer Jordan Gowins (Bellport, NY) and redshirt freshman Chris Parler (Long Beach, NY) and true freshman Jerome Brooks III (Central Islip, NY).

Liotine and the Seawolves open the 2016 campaign at home against North Dakota on September 1.

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